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Harbourlights
research report sponsored by asiahomes.com


66 & 68 Telok Blangah Road, 139 units, 2 years old.
Living cum dining areas and bathroom flooring: marble tiles. Bedrooms: timber strips.  

Wardrobe installed by the Developer in the master bedroom and prospective tenants may need to ask the Landlord to purchase one for the other bedrooms.

Kitchen cabinet, white "smeg" branded cooker hob & hood, oven. Tank gas, split-unit air conditioners.

Facilities:
Beautifully landscaped, good-sized swimming pool and jauczzi with a cascading waterfall from one end.  24-hour security.  Audio-visual intercom system.  Covered car parking.

No tennis or squash court but a well equipped gymnasium next to the steam rooms, sauna and hot spa.

Photos at:
http://www.asiahomes.com/singaporeapartment/homexpat/8_homepat.htm

Advantages:

1. Value for money compared to other new Orchard Road condos.  All rooms have Singapore Cable Vision connections.
   
2. 7 bus stops to Raffles Place (bus no. 100) if expats have no car. Easy access to Beach Road and Shenton Way.  About 20 minutes by bus to Orchard Road.
   
3. Just outside the restricted zone and yet near the central business district.
   
4. Sophisticated burglar infra red detection system inside the  apartment and an audio-video intercom system for screening guests downstairs.    Entry access card system to the lobby of the apartment block is an added security feature.
   
5. Utility room has been grilled unlike most units in UE Square and Tanglin Regency Condos.    Suits single lady expatriates who want maximum security.
   
6. Good for expatriates who want low density condos.
   
7. Units in this location are cheaper than UE Square and Tanglin Regency Condos which are now extremely popular with Caucasian expats.  
   
   Rentals done as at April 1998 are:

2-bedroom: S$2,000 f/f (one unit 7^th floor), range from S$2,400 - $3,000 generally.
3-bedroom: S$2,800 p/f(one unit 2^nd floor by Asia USA Realty), range from $3,000 - $4,500.

As at January 10, 2000,
3 units of 2-bedroom available for rent at $1,600 (750 sq. ft fully furnished), $2,000 and $2,500 (850 sq. ft).  Other units available too.  Email judy@asiahomes.com   Tel: +65 9668 6468.

Disadvantages:

1. The main complaint is that the area looks industrial, with the cranes and shipping.   Some construction in progress at the World Trade Centre across the road and a proposed subway in an adjoining piece of land.
   
2. Not near subway (MRT).
   Some units may face the main road, but sound proofing is excellent.
   
3. 2-bedroom has small floor areas of 750 - 900 sq. ft but they may suit singles or couples without children.  Caucasian expats prefer around 1,000 sq. ft of floor area.
   

   Case study: The pinkest apartment in Singapore.
   
   "My son is still not married" lamented the mother when I asked why the whole Harbourlights apartment has bright pink reddish curtains.    The 3 -seater plus 2 arm-chair leather set was also in glossy pink with grey backing.
   
   For a 2-bedroom of less than 900 sq. ft , a 2-seater plus 2 smaller arm-chairs will do as there is not much space.   The other bedroom was full of boxes and looks like a crowded store-room.    My Afro-American single lady client had earlier told me she preferred "muted" (i.e. pastel-coloured) fittings and this unit would not be in the short-list.  That was in April 1998 and she chose the Tanglin Regency which is near the Redhill subway.

Case study:
How you can rent out faster than others? Common incidents encountered by Asia USA Rental Realtors.

Tips for the interior design of the apartment for rent.

1. Difficult to contact the Owner who has placed the "For Rent"  advertisement.    After advertising in the Straits Times,  there is no response. Therefore, the Owner miss the viewing appointments which are scheduled by agents usually one day or 2 days in advance.
   
2. Exclusive agent's advertisement leads to no response from agents with the prospective Tenant.  
   If the property is hot, it is best Owner advertise themselves and get all agents to call up.    Agents focussing on expatriate rentals seldom phone with other agents unless the property is rarely available or has some excellent characteristics e.g. bungalow with swimming pool, rare 4+1 spacious townhouses, condos.  
   
   In 2000, the market is now tenant-driven unlike 3 years ago and there are many more Owners than prospective tenants of residential properties.
   
3. Some Owners are secretive about the unit's number and how to contact them. 
   
4. Asking agent to collect keys from home/office and yet nobody is in.  Unless your unit is exceptional, most agents will rather not collect keys from you as much time is spent in collecting and returning keys.  
   
   Some Owners of new condos leave the door unlocked for the day - a good idea while others leave the keys with the Management (e.g. Oleander Towers and The Quayside when new) and authorise release by fax or letter.   Some give duplicate keys to agents.
   
5. Not being punctual for the viewing appointment.   Some owners have to rush from the office and arrive late and some do not turn up at all.   Owners should be in early to  switch on the air-conditioners to show that the unit is cool.  Many try to save the electricity expense or have cut off the power supply.   Agents have a tight schedule and seldom wait for owners.
   
6. Tips for the interior design of the apartment for rental

• Do not install floral and strong coloured curtains just to be different. If you want to, install quality dark green leafy type on white background and these are expensive thick ones.
• Do not install cheap looking thin curtains.
• When giving old curtains (Owners with >1 unit for rent) to another unit, make sure they fit, as we had a case of curtains curling up from floor level.
• Provide day and night curtains (2 curtain tracks).
• Do not provide 3 curtain tracks as you waste money and it will not be appreciated by most tenants. 1 track is used as a short border.
• Do not use green or orange/pink/reddish curtains although you may like them as the room will look greenish or strong dark colours due to sunlight coming in.
• Buy light-coloured sofa sets such as light brown rather than black.  Avoid green sofas as well.
• Do not buy dark tinted glass top dining tables. Buy usual clear glass top and usual brown chairs rather than experimental chrome, steel and black dining chairs.
• Do not provide carpets as they are usually stained by the Tenant.
• Do not use brown/dark tiles for the kitchen floor, bathroom walls. Use light ones.
• If you do not have marble tiles, use plain white tiles of around 2 feet x 2 feet to make living/dining room look bigger.
• Use only white long baths, WCs and basins. Do not experiment with brown/maroon/blue colours. Silicon seals lining the baths and basins to be changed if they have changed to brown colour.
• Kitchen cabinets to be replaced with light colours after some years. Do not save money on this aspect.
• Walls are best painted white. Do not experiment with colours.
• Always buy a king-sized bed rather than try to save money by buying queen-sized bed even though the apartment may be small.
• Give a rental budget e.g S$6,000 to attract tenants. Usually helps to get tenant but you still have to provide the curtains, lighting, washing machine and refrigerator.
• Buy a big family-sized refrigerator. Many owners try to save money by buying small ones. One said that the taller ones will obscure the switches on the wall. Nowadays, small condos have very small spaces for fridges.
• Buy a sofa bed for 2 bedroom apartments but do not get strong floral coloured fabrics.
• Buy at least 25-inch TV if you want to provide a TV.
• Install cornices, false ceilings and wall mirrors to make unit attractive and spacious especially for 2-bedroom.
• Install a dryer instead of buying a washing machine-cum-dryer which most Owners will do; therefore your unit stands out as having better appliances.
• Install shower curtain rods to prevent bath water from splashing and rotting wooden doors of bathrooms. Also, tenant gets irritated by water puddles on floor of bathroom.
• Install door bells and security peep-holes in main door.

1. Make your unit a show room rather than a store-room.
   
2. If you own a 2- or 3-bedroom apartment, you cannot afford to be fussy and insist on company lease, 2 years and no Indians, Chinese, Japanese because there are many other units available.
   
3. Treat your housing agent well,   pay promptly the agency commissions and you will get first priority especially during lean times.

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